Exhibit 4.2(ii)

                                                             CONFORMED COPY
      =====================================================================


                                CENTURYTEL, INC.

                                      and

                          HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK

                                  Rights Agent

                               -------------------



                                 Amendment No. 1

                                       to

                                Rights Agreement

                               -------------------



                                  May 25, 1999

      =====================================================================




                       AMENDMENT NO.1 TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT


     This Amendment  No. 1 (this "Amendment")  to the Rights  Agreement  (the
"Rights Agreement"), dated as of August 27, 1996, by and between  CenturyTel,
Inc. (formerly named  Century  Telephone  Enterprises,  Inc.),  a  Louisiana
corporation (the "Company"),  and  Harris   Trust  and  Savings   Bank  (as
successor-in-interest   to  Society  National  Bank),  acting  as  Rights  Agent
hereunder (the "Rights  Agent"),  is dated and effective as of May 25, 1999. All
capitalized  terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings  assigned
to such terms in the Rights Agreement.

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend the Rights Agreement in
accordance with the provisions of Section 27 thereof;

     WHEREAS,  subsequent to the  Company's  issuance of Rights under the Rights
Agreement,  on each of March 31, 1998 and March 31, 1999, the Company effected a
three-for-two  stock  split,  payable  in each  case in the form of a 50%  stock
dividend on all Common Shares  outstanding as of the respective  record date for
such dividend;

     WHEREAS, as a result of these stock splits,  adjustments were made pursuant
to Section  11(n) of the Rights  Agreement  to the number of one  one-hundredths
(1/100ths)  of a Preference  Share  purchasable  by holders of each Right issued
under the Rights Agreement (the "Stock Split Adjustments");

     WHEREAS, as a result of the Stock Split Adjustments, each holder of a Right
is currently  entitled to purchase  four-ninths  of one  one-hundredth  (or, one
two-hundred  twenty-fifth  (1/225))  of a  Preference  Share upon  exercise of a
Right,  at a  Purchase  Price  equal  to  $110.00  per  one  one-hundredth  of a
Preference  Share (or $48.88 per one  two-hundred  twenty-fifth  of a Preference
Share);

     WHEREAS,  the Company desires to increase the Purchase Price for Preference
Shares and make certain technical changes to the Rights Agreement to reflect the
Stock Split Adjustments;

     WHEREAS,  all acts  necessary  to make  this  Amendment  a valid  agreement
according to its terms have been validly performed; and

     WHEREAS,  the execution  and delivery of this  Amendment by the Company and
the Rights Agent have been in all respects  duly  authorized  by the Company and
the Rights Agent;

     NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
set forth  herein and in the  Rights  Agreement,  the  parties  hereby  agree as
follows:

     1. The Rights Agreement is hereby amended by replacing Section 7(b) thereof
in its entirety with the following:

        "(b) Subsequent to May 25, 1999, until  adjustment  thereof in
     accordance  with Section 11 or 13 hereof,  the Purchase  Price for each
     one two-hundred twenty-fifth of a Preference Share purchasable pursuant
     to the  exercise  of a Right  shall be $135,  and shall be  payable  in
     lawful  money of the  United  States  of  America  in  accordance  with
     paragraph (c) below."

     2. The Rights  Agreement is hereby  amended by replacing the address of the
Rights Agent set forth in Section 26 of the Rights  Agreement with the following
address:

               Harris Trust and Savings Bank
               1601 Elm Street, Suite 2320
               Thanksgiving Tower
               Dallas, Texas  75201
               Attention:   Shareholder Services

     3. (a)  The Rights Agreement is hereby amended by (i) modifying any and all
terms and  conditions  of the Rights  Agreement to the extent  necessary to give
full force and effect to the Stock  Split  Adjustments  required  under  Section
11(n) of the Rights Agreement, including without limitation (A) replacing where
appropriate each reference therein to "one  one-hundredth of a Preference Share"
with the words "one two-hundred  twenty-fifth of a Preference Share"; (B)
replacing where appropriate each reference  therein to "one  one-hundredths of a
Preference Share" with the words "one two-hundred  twenty-fifths of a Preference
Share";  and (C) replacing  where  appropriate  each  reference  therein to "one
hundred" to "two hundred twenty-five"; and (ii) modifying each of the exhibits
to the Rights Agreement to the extent necessary to make comparable changes.

        (b)  The parties  acknowledge  that the amendments to the Rights
Agreement  pursuant  to  paragraph  3(a)  hereof  are made to update  the Rights
Agreement  to  reflect  the Stock  Split  Adjustments,  and that any  subsequent
adjustments under the Rights Agreement shall be computed from and after the date
hereof.

     4. This Amendment shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the  State  of  Louisiana  applicable  to  contracts  made and to be
performed entirely within such State.

     5. This  Amendment  may be executed in any number of  counterparts  and
each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed an original,  and all
such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

     6. Except as expressly set forth herein,  this  Amendment  shall not by
implication or otherwise alter,  modify, amend or in any other way affect any of
the terms,  conditions,  obligations,  covenants or agreements  contained in the
Rights Agreement,  all of which are hereby ratified and affirmed in all respects
and shall  continue  in full force and  effect.  The  undersigned  Rights  Agent
acknowledges  that it has succeeded to and assumed all of the rights,  interests
and  obligations  of the  Rights  Agent  specified  in the Rights  Agreement  in
accordance with Section 19 of the Rights Agreement.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment No.1 to
the Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above
written.


ATTEST:                                     CENTURYTEL, INC.

/s/ Kathy Tettleton                         By: /s/ Glen F. Post, III
________________________                    ___________________________
                                              Glen F. Post, III
                                              Vice Chairman, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer


ATTEST:                                     HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK

/s/ Roslynn R. Orr                          By: /s/ Mark Asbury
________________________                    ___________________________
                                              Mark Asbury
                                              Vice President